Weighing mechanism.



No- 829,299. PATENTED AUG. 21, 1906. G. SKIDMORE. WEIGHING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAH.X6,1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

3 u we" to; Charles 6216261107? 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 PATENTED AUG. 21, 1906,

G. SKIDMORE. WEIGHING MECHANISM.

wue n for, Sfczcimare (V Q Charles APPLIGATIOH FILED JAN.16, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 21, 1906.

Application filed January 16, 1906. Serial No. 241,361.

To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES SKIDMORE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Homer, in the county of Dakota and State of Nebraska, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Weighing Mechanism, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to weighing-mac chines, and has for its objectsto produce a simple inexpensive device of this character which may bereadily transported from place to lace and set up for use, one whereinthe Wei t of the device as a whole is reduced to a minimum, and one inwhich the scalebeam will during the weighin operation be positivelylifted, as distinguished from con structions in which the weight-beam isactuated by depression.

Further objects of the invention are to provide simple and efficientdevices for yieldably supporting the deprcssiblc platform and novelconnections between said devices and the power-shaft, these connectionsincluding adjusting means whereby the weighing mechamsm may beaccurately adjusted.

To these ends the invention comprises the novel features of constructionand combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a scaleembodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectionalelevation, the section being taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isa detail sectional elevation, on an enlar ed scale, taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through one of theframebrackets. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional eleva tion illustrating amodified form of connection.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a frame of substantiallyrectangular form in plan comprising side bars 2 and end. bars 3, therebeing bolted or otherwise secured in the corners of the frame horizontalbrackets 4, each formed with. a pair of spaced horizontal portions orarms 5, provided with alining )earing-openings 6.

Extended transversely through and at the lon itudinal center of theframe 1 is a owersha t 7, journaled for rotation in hearings or hangers8, attached to the side bars 2, this shaft being extended at one side ofthe frame transversely through and adjacent the bottom of a verticalcasing 9, while upon the shaft within the casing there is fixed anormally horizontal lever 10, connected at its outer end by means of alink 11 with a weight-beam 12 of the usual or any appropriateconstruction. Attention is directed to the fact that the beam isfulcrumed adjacent one end, as at 13, and that the upper end of the link11 is pivoted to the beam at 14 immediately in advance of the fulcrum 13for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

Each bracket 4 has pivoted thereto be-' tween its pair of spaced arms 5and by means of a pintle 15, seated in the opening 6, one of a series ofactuating members 16 in the form of a bell-crank lever having a normallyhorizontal arm or portion 17 and a vertical arm or portion 18, thesemembers, which correspend in number to the number of brackets, beingarranged in opposite pairs and having their arms 18 perforated adjacenttheir lower ends, as at 19, for the rece )tion of the adjacent ends ofconnecting el emcnts 20, preferably in the form of wire cables, likewisearrangcd in pairs and having their inner ends reversely wound u )on andattached to the power-shaft 7, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. Each ofthe elements 20 includes an adjustin member 21, preferably in the formof a turn uckle arranged within and between the ends of the cable, theseturnbuckles being operable for adjusting the tension of the elements.

Supported by the actuating member 16 at opposite ends of the frame aretransverse b0 sters 22, which in turn receive and sup port a platform28, there being attached to the lower faces of the bolsters hangers 24in the form of substantially U-shaped frames, each having pivotedtherein an inverted-U- shaped link 25, engaged with and near the outerend of the arm 17 of the adjacent bellcrank 16, while upon the platform23 is ar ranged a pair of parallel longitudinal tracks 26 on whlch thewheels of the vehicle may travel.

In ractice when a load is arranged upon the p atform 23 the latter willbe depressed, thus dc ressing the outer ends of the arms 17 and roc (ingthe actuating members 16 upon their pivots, thereby swinging the lowerends of their vertical arms in reverse directions, as indicated by thearrows in Fig. 2, and exerting traction upon the elements 20 forrotating the power-shaft 7 in the direction indicated by the arrow insaid figure. When the shaft is thus rotated, the outer end of lever 10will move upward and through the medium of link 11 lift the scale-beam12 IIO and of course the weights carried thereby. It is to beparticularly observed that under this construction the latform will beyieldably sustained wholly by the actuating membars 16 and that movementof the latter through the medium of the platform exerts a direct pullupon the elements 20 for rotating the shaft, while the latter willthrough the intermediate connections positively lift the scale-beam.Further, it is to be noted that any inaccuracies in the weighingmechanism may be readil corrected by manipulating the adjusting evices21 to vary the tension of the elements 20 and that owing to thesimplicity of the construction the weight of the scale as a whole may bemeasurably reduced as compared with such devices now in use, thusadapting the mechanism for ready transportation from place to place andto be set u for use.

In ig. 5 I have illustrated the shaft 7 as being of square or othernon-circular form in cross-section and having mounted thereon a head 27,provided with oppositely-disposed slotted portions or In s 28 with whichare engaged, respectively, t e ends of rods or other rigid connecting eements the outer ends of the latter being adapted for engagement withthe arms 18 of the bellcranl s, as heretofore explained. The rods 20 attheir point of connection with the lugs 28 are threaded throughout asuitable portion of their length for the reception of nuts 29, which mayobviously be manipulated to vary the tension of the rods, In otherrespects the construction and 0 eration of the parts is identical withthat a ove described.

From the foregoing it is a parent that I produce a simple inexpensivedevice which in practice will efficiently perform its functions to theattainment of the ends in view, it being understood that minor changesin the details herein set forth may be resorted to without dc artingfrom the spirit of the invention.

laving thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1.In a weighing mechanism, a scale-beam, pivoted bell-crank levers, adepressible plat form sustained by said levers, a rotary power-shaft,connections between the levers and shaft for rotating the latter whenthe platform is depressed, and operative connections between the shaftand beam for lifting the latter when the shaft is rotated.

2. In a weighing mechanism, a scalebeam,

ivoted bell-crank levers, a depressible plat orm sustained thereby, arotary powershaft, 0 erative connections between the levers anpower-shaft for rotating the latter when the platform is depressed, anarm fixed for movement with the shaft, and a link connecting the arm andbeam for positively raising the latter when the shaft is rotated.

3. n a weighin mechanism, a ivoted scale-beam, a plura ity of ivoted be-crank levers, a depressible plat orm sustained by the levers, a rotarypower-shaft, operative connections between the levers and shaft forrotating the latter when the platform is depressed, an arm fixed formovement with the shaft, and a link connected with the arm and engagedwith the beam at a point in advance of the fulcrum of the latter.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES SKIDMORE.

Witnesses JAMES NELsoN, HARRIET CAIN.

